The Execution

An eyewitness account of a public hanging carried out by the Nazis.

My wife's grandfather was a very private person. Twenty years ago, shortly after his passing, his family was shocked to discover that he had kept a journal for almost four decades, unbeknownst to even his closest family members. The journal, written in Hebrew in a flawless penmanship, opened an unexpected window into his past. Narratives of events dating back as early as 1947, most of which were written immediately after they occurred, allowed the family to vicariously experience the events of his life.

But with regard to one of the most important chapters of "Zeidy's" life, the journal was largely silent. Zeidy was born in the town of Shavli (Siauliai), Lithuania, in 1927. At the young age of 14, he was imprisoned in a ghetto, along with most of his family and the other residents of his town. For the next four years, first in the ghetto and then in a concentration camp, he was subjected to the abysmal living conditions imposed upon them by the Nazis, and undoubtedly witnessed numerous acts of unspeakable brutality. Upon his liberation in 1945, he found his way to Sweden, where he remained for a couple of years before ultimately making his way to America, where he settled down to raise a family.

The journal, which he began during his time in Sweden, makes few references to his wartime experiences. However, it leaves the reader with the impression that most of the tribulations he underwent were not recorded. Translating the journal into English, I recently found one of the few episodes that Zeidy had witnessed during the war. The entry of June 6, 1949, commemorates one particularly striking -- and horrifying -- event that had taken place in the ghetto exactly six years before, on June 6, 1943: the public execution of a young man for the "crime" of possessing a small amount of money.

The following is a translation of Zeidy's eyewitness account of the incident.

* * *

Today, the sixth of June, is a day the Jews of Shavli can never forget. We will forever be haunted by the memories of that awful day, six years ago, when Betzalel M., of blessed memory, was brought from his six-day imprisonment to be publicly murdered in the ghetto.

Just a few days earlier, the Nazis had been searching for a victim from the ghetto's populace. After all, in all the other ghettos in Europe, there had already been public hangings; ours had the "distinction" of being the only ghetto where no one had been murdered yet. (What the Nazis had done, however, was transfer thousands of our brethren to "another place," from which they were never to return. Those places are all too familiar to us. Most of the Jews of Shavli were shot and buried in a mass grave located in a forest 12 kilometers from the city. And although they had promised to transfer the orphanage to the ghetto, instead, they raided the facility one evening in the middle of supper, casting all of its residents, young and old alike, into waiting trucks. They were taken to a nearby forest and murdered, their young lives viciously cut short.)

Two days later, a rumor began to spread that Betzalel had been sentenced to a public hanging.

Betzalel was returning home from work when the Nazis searched him and found a small amount of money in his pocket. This was viewed as a serious infraction, since nothing was permitted to be brought into the ghetto, and we were not allowed to possess any money. We received everything "for free," and so were forced to work without a salary. We were only given food cards, which we used at the store to receive portions of food without payment.

Upon discovering the money in Betzalel's possession, the Nazis beat him severely, then threw him into the trunk of a car and brought him to jail. They then waited at the gate of the ghetto to search the pockets of everyone else who was entering. Several people were caught with a few pieces of bread in their pockets. They, too, endured brutal blows from the Nazis and then were arrested and taken to jail.

Two days later, a rumor began to spread that Betzalel had been sentenced to a public hanging. Although the Jewish council pleaded with the authorities to relent, their entreaties were to no avail. The decision remained in place.

On Shabbos, the gallows had already been constructed, and huge notices had been posted announcing that the execution would take place on Sunday. Everyone was required to be present, and all the residents of the other ghetto would be brought to our ghetto, as well, for a few hours. An air of great sadness and fear gripped all the residents of the ghetto. We still clung to the hope that the execution would not actually take place. Although the gallows were already erected, we believed it was merely a tactic to frighten us, so that we would never again violate their "sacred" law not to bring food into the ghetto.

On Sunday morning, all the residents of the ghetto were brought to the square. Lithuanian policemen raced through the ghetto, screaming at everyone to leave their houses and come to watch the execution. The crowd at the gallows was surrounded by police with their guns ready to meet any resistance. At about a quarter to eleven, a car pulled up at the ghetto's gate. An SS officer emerged first, and then Betzalel came out. His face was pale but his posture was straight. His eyes were dark from starvation, but they were full of courage. A small smile played across his lips. His hands were shackled behind his back. Another car pulled up and discharged several SS officers carrying small automatic guns. Upon seeing them, Betzalel asked the officer beside him if they were going to shoot him.

"No, they are going to hang you," the officer replied.

"It's the same thing," was Betzalel's response.

The order was given to bring him to the gallows. Betzalel walked with an erect posture. When he arrived, he turned to face us, seeming to be looking for something that he could not find. His wife and daughter had been transferred to a different ghetto that morning. He asked for permission to address the crowd, but his request was refused. He did manage to say a few words to the head of the Jewish police: ""Do not be afraid. In the end, the redemption will come for you. The end is not far away now."

It was a terrible day, a day of great fear and confusion, a day of great mourning.

The command was given for him to be placed on the gallows. Two Jews were forced to bring a table and then a chair, on which Betzalel was made to stand. The rope was placed around his neck. His brother fell to his knees pleading for mercy, but the Nazis cruelly ordered for him to be removed from the scene.

And then, as the rope was pulled, Betzalel leapt from the chair to his death.

After several minutes, the Nazis ordered a Jewish doctor to examine him and determine whether or not he was alive. The doctor looked into Betzalel's eyes, placed his stethoscope on his heart, and listened for a heartbeat, but could hear none. They ordered him to check again. The doctor again looked into his eyes, listened to his chest, and took his pulse, and determined that he was dead.

The Nazis looked at the clock; it was 11:15. They ordered that his body remain hanging until 12:00, and then they left.

The cries in the ghetto that day pierced the heavens. It was a terrible day, a day of great fear and confusion, a day of great mourning. No one could eat a thing that entire day; the experience weighed heavily on our hearts for days afterwards. Betzalel was the sacrifice for 4500 Jews. After his death, there was a brief period of quiet. . . .

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About the Author

David Sussman currently lives in Israel with his wife and daughter. He received his Rabbinical ordination from Yeshivas Ohr HaChaim of Kew Garden Hills, NY. He is the author of three novels published by Targum Press, the most recent of which, Alter Ego, was published in 2007.

Visitor Comments: 12

(12)
chikaodili,
November 9, 2009 10:22 AM

unforgiveable

Millions of worse crimes were comitted by the Nazis.I must urge all sources to continue to dig them up relentlessly.Major reason why Jews were senselessly killed in their millions was national homelessnes at a time.The situation has changed today morbid anti-semitism remains.You hear of a national leader calling for the total destruction of Israel,whole people denying the reality of holocaust and that there was never a kingdom of Judah and,twin Jewish kingdoms.

(11)
Rick Green,
July 1, 2009 5:34 PM

Confused

I am 53 years old and still don't understand the mistreatment of people of the Jewish Faith. I am an agnostic. Is there a definitive answer?

(10)
Ismael,
May 21, 2009 6:16 PM

horrible and extreme brutality

My name means "God has listened to you"
is a Hebrew name. What a wonderful pleasure, unfortunately I didn't have the privelage to born in Israel. However, I converted to the Judaism and it is the most wonderful gift.
No body will silent any more to the Jewish Family, and those who died for Israel "the promise land" and its people, their voice still in the heaven.
What horrible crime was committed against our people, but those who did that they still don't undertand HOW BIG IS THE PRIVILAGE TO BE CALLED JEWS.

(9)
Gavriel Kleinerman,
May 12, 2009 5:36 AM

Mazal Tov Rabbi Berel

Mazal Tov to Rabbi Berel, our Aish collegue, at Aish Minnesota, on Shlomo's bar mitzvah and to your father z'l, who was so successful in his revenge of the Nazi's by living his Torah true life and passing it it on to his generations to come.

(8)
Berel,
May 12, 2009 1:29 AM

The writer was my father

The witness and author of this story was my father, Shlomo Simpser,a"h. I just read it for the first time. (Maybe I read it quickly in the original Hebrew, 21 years ago.) I haven't had the time before, thinking I knew all of my father's stories. I read it now, as we finish preparing for the Lag B'Omer simcha of another Shlomo Simpser - my oldest son. Shlomo is named after my father, a"h, who rebuilt a family of banim u'bnei banim, oskim baTorah umitzvos (children and grandchildren dedicated to Torah and Mitzvos) after surviving the Holocaust. His "nekama" / revenge, against the evil doers was surviving and rebuilding. May the memory of Bezalel, and all who perished sanctifying Hashem's name, be memorialized in our dedication to Torah, in our actions and continued survival.

(7)
Anonymous,
April 26, 2009 9:30 AM

To Debbie Gilden/Wishing someone would document

Perhaps that someone could be you? It all starts with one person, one story with an invitation for others to come forward. It may or may not succeed but that is how it all starts. good luck!!

(6)
Shoshana,
April 21, 2009 10:03 PM

what the yetzer hora wants from us

The yetzer hora and Amalek will be satisfied with our collective misery, but they really want us dead.vs. what does God want from us . The survivors whether religious or not are ( Hitler may his memory be erased) they, we are His REVENGE.

(5)
Yochanna,
April 20, 2009 10:19 PM

Such brutality,

Such horror, such brutality,fear and hopelessness.I may be a cynical old woman but I'm thankful for the strengh of Israel, her army and that wicked little bunch they call the secret service! Memories demand a safer future.Blessings for all those who mourn.

(4)
Debby Gilden,
April 20, 2009 7:50 PM

My Uncle Harry only told me

My uncle only told me and no one else, that he and his brother when they were around 6 and 7, drove the wagon to bury the Jews that were rounded up and burned in a community building in a shtetel next to Patritch(sp), near Babroisk, Belarusa at the turn of the century. I wish someone would document the horrors of the progroms with the same attention as the Holocost. Perhaps it is too late.

(3)
Aviva,
April 19, 2009 11:04 AM

So hard to imagine

We can read about it, we can believe that it happend but we can never imagine the daily moment to moment terror and uncertainty of that which our people endured. My mother-in-law was a survivor and these was her words.

(2)
Michael ben Yosef,
April 19, 2009 9:52 AM

Another story of hell on earth

This revelation , despite all I have learnt about the Shoah has again reduced me to tears.
Shalom to all that have survived

(1)
Issy Rondel,
April 19, 2009 8:12 AM

What I have seen, aged 6.

At the age of 6, while hiding in a shed,My father lying on top of me, so that I did not make a sound,a Synagogue
full of man was being burnt, while the Germans were keeping the woman away who were screaming and crying.I do not remember the town, but I do remember my father saying that it was beginning with L, MAYBE LVOV, LUBLIN ??? It was a small town, with a square before the synagogue. I still have nightmares now, I am 73 years old.I wake up to screaming ans shouting in my ears. We were trying to get to Warsaw , to find my mother.

I live in rural Montana where the Cholov Yisrael milk is difficult to obtain and very expensive. So I drink regular milk. What is your view on this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Jewish law requires that there be rabbinic supervision during the milking process to ensure that the milk comes from a kosher animal. In the United States, many people rely on the Department of Agriculture's regulations and controls as sufficiently stringent to fulfill the rabbinic requirement for supervision.

Most of the major Kashrut organizations in the United States rely on this as well. You will therefore find many kosher products in America certified with a 'D' next to the kosher symbol. Such products – unless otherwise specified on the label – are not Cholov Yisrael and are assumed kosher based on the DOA's guarantee.

There are many, however, do not rely on this, and will eat only dairy products that are designated as Cholov Yisrael (literally, "Jewish milk"). This is particularly true in large Jewish communities, where Cholov Yisrael is widely available.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote that under limited conditions, such as an institution which consumes a lot of milk and Cholov Yisrael is generally unavailable or especially expensive, American milk is acceptable, as the government supervision is adequate to prevent non-kosher ingredients from being added.

It should be added that the above only applies to milk itself, which is marketed as pure cow's milk. All other dairy products, such as cheeses and butter, may contain non-kosher ingredients and always require kosher certification. In addition, Rabbi Feinstein's ruling applies only in the United States, where government regulations are considered reliable. In other parts of the world, including Europe, Cholov Yisrael is a requirement.

There are additional esoteric reasons for being stringent regarding Cholov Yisrael, and because of this it is generally advisable to consume only Cholov Yisroel dairy foods.

In 1889, 800 Jews arrived in Buenos Aires, marking the birth of the modern Jewish community in Argentina. These immigrants were fleeing poverty and pogroms in Russia, and moved to Argentina because of its open door policy of immigration. By 1920, more than 150,000 Jews were living in Argentina. Juan Peron's rise to power in 1946 was an ominous sign, as he was a Nazi sympathizer with fascist leanings. Peron halted Jewish immigration to Argentina, introduced mandatory Catholic religious instruction in public schools, and allowed Argentina to become a haven for fleeing Nazis. (In 1960, Israeli agents abducted Adolf Eichmann from a Buenos Aires suburb.) Today, Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America with 250,000, though terror attacks have prompted many young people to emigrate. In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 32 people. In 1994, the Jewish community headquarters in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 85 people. The perpetrators have never been apprehended.

Be aware of what situations and behaviors give you pleasure. When you feel excessively sad and cannot change your attitude, make a conscious effort to take some action that might alleviate your sadness.

If you anticipate feeling sad, prepare a list of things that might make you feel better. It could be talking to a specific enthusiastic individual, running, taking a walk in a quiet area, looking at pictures of family, listening to music, or reading inspiring words.

While our attitude is a major factor in sadness, lack of positive external situations and events play an important role in how we feel.

[If a criminal has been executed by hanging] his body may not remain suspended overnight ... because it is an insult to God (Deuteronomy 21:23).

Rashi explains that since man was created in the image of God, anything that disparages man is disparaging God as well.

Chilul Hashem, bringing disgrace to the Divine Name, is one of the greatest sins in the Torah. The opposite of chilul Hashem is kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Divine Name. While this topic has several dimensions to it, there is a living kiddush Hashem which occurs when a Jew behaves in a manner that merits the respect and admiration of other people, who thereby respect the Torah of Israel.

What is chilul Hashem? One Talmudic author stated, "It is when I buy meat from the butcher and delay paying him" (Yoma 86a). To cause someone to say that a Torah scholar is anything less than scrupulous in meeting his obligations is to cause people to lose respect for the Torah.

Suppose someone offers us a business deal of questionable legality. Is the personal gain worth the possible dishonor that we bring not only upon ourselves, but on our nation? If our personal reputation is ours to handle in whatever way we please, shouldn't we handle the reputation of our nation and the God we represent with maximum care?

Jews have given so much, even their lives, for kiddush Hashem. Can we not forego a few dollars to avoid chilul Hashem?

Today I shall...

be scrupulous in all my transactions and relationships to avoid the possibility of bringing dishonor to my God and people.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...